Ted

Ginn

Ginn missed the NFC Championship game with an injury to the same knee. Although no surgery has been reported, it’s a concern that Ginn is still rehabbing six months later. It may also explain the lack of interest in his services during free agency.

Ginn spent most of 2020 out of the NFL after a midseason release from Chicago. The 36-year-old retires with a 412/5,742/33 receiving line on 760 targets. Ginn was one of the league’s top returners in his prime, totaling 9,523 career yards and seven touchdowns. The ninth overall pick by Miami in 2007, Ginn played with six different teams over his career. He appeared in Super Bowls with the 49ers (2012) and Panthers (2015).

Ginn signed a one-year deal for the veteran minimum this offseason. He had just three catches in six games and was a healthy scratch last week. Chicago is moving forward with Dwayne Harris at punt returner.

Dwayne Harris, promoted from Chicago’s practice squad Saturday, is expected to take over for Ginn as the primary punt returner. Allen Robinson (concussion) is also active, as expected.

Both Ginn and Ridley are healthy scratches. Ginn was in on 43% of the offensive snaps last week but didn’t catch a pass on his lone target. Both Khalil Mack (knee) and Robert Quinn (ankle) are active after being listed questionable.

Ginn turned 35 earlier this month and had received no known interest on the free-agent market to this point. The Bears released speedy Taylor Gabriel earlier in the offseason and had been looking for some speed out wide. Ginn fits that bill, but going from Drew Brees to Nick Foles and Mitchell Trubisky is an obvious downgrade, even if Foles likes to uncork the deep ball. Ginn posted a 30-421-2 line 56 targets in New Orleans across 16 games last year. He’ll be deep down the targets totem pole in Chicago.

In fact, the 35-year-old is insistent he has a few more years left in the tank. Ginn played in all 16 games with the Saints last year (and a total of 36 over the last three seasons), but became expendable the moment New Orleans inked veteran Emmanuel Sanders to a two-year, $16 million contract in March. Ginn’s expected to evaluate his landing spots post-draft as he’s played for five different teams across 13 seasons in the league.

Ginn ripped off a 7-101-0 line in Week 1 ... then failed to surpass 50 yards and scored just two touchdowns the rest of the way. It’ll be tough to expect more booms to be on the way in 2020 with electric WR/KR Deonte Harris beginning to see more offensive snaps. Tre’Quan Smith usually works ahead of Ginn in the WR pecking order, and each are behind Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara and Jared Cook as Drew Brees’ top targets. Ginn will be 35 years old next season, but still boasts the type of field-stretching speed that could earn him a role as the No. 3 WR on plenty of offenses, including the Saints.

The 50 yards were Ginn’s most since Week 1, and he has just two touchdowns on the year.

Ginn has two catches or fewer in eight straight games with a pair of air balls mixed in there. He’s well off the fantasy radar in 12- and 14-team leagues.